Biotech Updates

Wild Potato Germplasm Holds Key to Disease Resistance

June 18, 2010

Breeding for multiple resistance against several fungal diseases in potato is being conducted using wild potato germplasm as source of resistance at the Agricultural Research Service in Madison, Wisconsin. Geneticists Dennis Halterman and Shelley Jansky have identified wild potato species that contain resistance genes against late blight, early blight and Virticillium wilt diseases.

The wild potato Solanum verrucosum which contains the resistance gene against late blight was crossed with another wild potato that contains resistance to early blight. This hybrid is currently being used to introduce the resistance genes to cultivated potato. In addition, genes for resistance against Virticillium wilt found in Solanum chacoense is also being introduced into the cultivated potato germplasm. Molecular markers have been identified to aid the breeders in fast tracking the development of multiple fungal resistance in cultivated potato.

See the news article at http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr/2010/100616.htm for details.